Page 103 - Lok Sabha Elections

Vijayan accuses PM Modi, Rahul of covering up Kerala's progress with lies

With the crucial Lok Sabha polls just five days away in the state, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Sunday intensified his attack against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi accusing them of attempting to cover up the progresses achieved by the state with "lies". Modi and Gandhi have a similar voice while speaking against the southern state, he told a press conference in Kanhangadu here. "A strange phenomenon is happening now in which the Prime Minister and the all India leader of the main opposition party are trying in unison to cover up the state (Kerala) and the progress it achieved with lies," the Chief Minister alleged. Targeting Modi for his recent remarks against the state government, Vijayan said the Prime Minister had mentioned the other day that corruption thrives in Kerala like in Bihar. Through the statement, the PM is insulting two states at one go, he said. Rejecting Modi's charge, the Left leader said it is well known that Kerala i

Uddhav will top survey about most worthless people in Maha, says Bawankule

Maharashtra BJP president Chandrashekhar Bawankule on Sunday hit back at Uddhav Thackeray, saying if a survey is conducted about the most worthless people in Maharashtra, the Shiv Sena (UBT) chief would top the list. The BJP leader's comment has come in the wake of the allegation made by Uddhav Thackeray that the then chief minister Devendra Fadnavis told him in 2019 that he would groom his son Aaditya Thackeray as the next CM of Maharashtra as part of the power-sharing agreement between their parties. Reacting to the claim, Fadnavis, current deputy chief minister in the Mahayuti government of the BJP, Shiv Sena and NCP, on Saturday said Uddhav Thackeray had "lost his mind". Talking to the media, Bawankule said, "If you surveyed people asking them about the most worthless people in Maharashtra, Uddhav Thackeray would top the list. His popularity is on the decline. Nobody is willing to hold his rallies, and people are not turning up." He said Uddhav Thackeray knew he would have to s

Chandrababu hands over nomination forms to 161 candidates to represent TDP

TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu on Sunday handed over nomination forms to 161 candidates, authorising them to represent the party in the simultaneous Assembly and Lok Sabha polls in Andhra Pradesh on May 13. At a small ceremony held at Naidu's Andhra Pradesh residence in Undavalli, the opposition leader handed over the 'B-forms'. The B-form is a nomination document signed by the authorised person of a political party, indicating the name of the candidate fielded by the outfit. It is proof that a particular candidate has been put up by a political party, and it ensures that the candidate is allotted the reserved symbol of that party. TDP President and former Andhra Pradesh chief minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu distributed B-forms to 144 MLA and 17 MP candidates competing in the upcoming elections, the party said in a press release on Sunday. The party chief advised the candidates to work diligently towards the reconstruction of Andhra Pradesh and also offered guidance on election ...

Lok Sabha elections 2024: INDI alliance's 'Ulgulan rally' in Ranchi today

Lok Sabha poll 2024 campaign: In neighbouring Bihar, Union Home Minister Amit Shah is set to hold a public meeting in Katihar in support of NDA candidate Dulal Chand Goswami

Modi govt has to be removed to save railways: Rahul as he attacks Centre

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday alleged that the BJP-led Centre wants to prove railways incompetent so that it has an excuse to sell it off to its friends, and urged people to remove the Modi government to save the common person's transport. Gandhi shared a video on X showing people travelling by sitting in toilets and on the floor of a train, to attack the government. In a post on X, Gandhi said, 'Rail journey' has become a punishment under Narendra Modi's rule! Passengers of every category are being harassed by the Modi government which is promoting only 'elite trains' by reducing general coaches from common persons' trains. People are not able to sit peacefully on their seats even with confirmed tickets, he claimed. Gandhi said the common person is forced to travel by hiding in the toilet or sitting on the floor. The Modi government wants to prove railways 'incompetent' by weakening it with its policies, so that it has an excuse to sell it to its friends, Gandhi alleged.

LS polls: BJP banks on Modi magic, development to tide over Rajput ire

Facing protests from a section of the Rajput community over Union Minister Parshottam Rupala's remarks, the BJP in Rajasthan's Chittorgarh -- a Rajput-dominated seat -- is hoping that the 'Modi factor' and the development work undertaken by his government will help it retain the Lok Sabha constituency. Meanwhile, the Congress is raising the issues of farmer welfare and inflation to seek votes from the people of constituency, which goes to the polls in the second phase of the ongoing general elections on April 26. The BJP has fielded its state president C P Joshi from the seat while the Congress has placed its bet on former state minister Udailal Anjana. Joshi, who won the 2014 and 2019 Lok Sabha polls from Chittorgarh, is aiming for a hat-trick of wins -- an unprecedented feat -- and cited the "increased rail connectivity, running of new trains and construction of new highways" in his constituency to highlight the development done by the BJP. Due to the development work, this regio

Lok Sabha polls: Bengal's political landscape witnesses rise of dynasties

Dynastic politics has been a prominent feature of Indian democracy, but its increased presence in Bengal this Lok Sabha election marks a significant departure from the state's tradition of cultivating leaders from grassroots politics. Out of the 42 Lok Sabha seats, 13 have candidates from political dynasties. This represents a significant increase compared to previous elections, where political dynasts were limited to just three seats. Traditionally known for its vibrant student politics, Bengal is experiencing a notable shift as influential political families are gaining prominence. "This is a new trend or an evolution of Bengal politics from class-based politics to dynasty politics. Never in the polls have so many candidates come from political families," political scientist at Centre for Studies in Social Sciences, Maidul Islam, told PTI. He said in Bengal where politics is dictated by the charisma of mass leaders, party symbols and issues, "it remains to be seen how people acce

Country believes new journey into future will begin from polls: PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said that India is now projecting with self-confidence the mantras of truth and non-violence globally as a solution to the problems facing the world and its cultural image is playing a big role in it as well. Addressing the 2,550th Bhagwan Mahaveer Nirvan Mahotsav here, Modi said his government put emphasis on promoting heritage as well as material development when it came to power in 2014 at a time when the country was engulfed in despair, a swipe at the previous UPA dispensation. Referring to the Lok Sabha polls, he said a big festival of democracy is happening "and, the country believes from here a new journey into future will also begin". He cited his government's promotion of Indian heritage like yoga and Ayurveda, asserting that the country's new generation now believes that self-pride is its identity. The country is now projecting the mantras of truth and non-violence globally as a solution to problems facing the world with ...

BJP no longer political party, cult worshipping Narendra Modi: Chidambaram

Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram on Sunday lashed out at the BJP-led NDA government and said the saffron party is no longer a political party but has become a cult which worships Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Targeting the Modi government, Chidambaram said there is a "grave erosion" of freedom of speech and expression happening under the ten years of Modi rule and urged the people to "restore democracy". He also assured that even though the contentious Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) was not mentioned in the Congress manifesto, it will be repealed once the INDIA bloc comes to power. Chidambaram also expressed hope that the INDIA bloc will win all the 39 seats in Tamil Nadu and the one seat in Pondicherry where the elections were over. "The BJP constituted the manifesto in 14 days which is not titled manifesto. They called it Modi's guarantee. The BJP is no longer a political party. It has become a cult and the cult worships Narendra Modi," Chidambaram said. He claimed that "Mo

Lok Sabha polls: Ex-Telangana CM KCR to undertake roadshow from April 24

BRS president and former Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao will undertake roadshows for 17 days beginning April 24 as part of his campaign for the Lok Sabha polls. The roadshow programme will begin at Miryalguda, about 140 kms from Hyderabad, on April 24 and it will end at the district headquarters town of Siddipet on May 10. Polling for the 17 Lok Sabha seats in Telangana will be held on May 13. The roadshows will be held in various Lok Sabha constituencies, including Bhuvanagiri, Mahabubnagar, Nagarkurnool, Warangal, Khammam, Mahabubabad, Nizamabad, Medak and Karimnagar, according to the route plan for roadshows released by BRS on Sunday. Rao, also known as KCR, has already kicked off his campaign for the Lok Sabha polls with rallies at Chevella near here and in Andole assembly constituency. BRS had won nine of the 17 Lok Sabha seats in 2019. Following its shock defeat in the Telangana Legislative Assembly polls held in November last year, the regional party is now

Lok Sabha polls: Rajnath Singh to hold election rallies in Bengal today

The first phase of voting recently concluded in the Coochbehar, Alipurduar, and Jalpaiguri parliamentary constituencies. The BJP won in all these constituencies in the last election in 2019

LS polls: Re-polling at 11 booths in Manipur Monday after firing incidents

On April 19, incidents of violence were reported at some of the polling booths in conflict-torn Manipur where some miscreants opened fire and even destroyed EVMs

LS polls: Intense battle in Kannur as Cong, CPI(M), & BJP vie for dominance

The Northern Kerala constituency of Kannur is witnessing an intense battle between the Congress and the CPI(M), while the BJP is focusing on the newly registered young voters to make an impact in the seat. With 39 percent minorities, including Muslims and Christians, the voters often support the CPI(M)-LDF in most of the assembly seats falling under this Parliament constituency in the polls to the legislature, but the Lok Sabha constituency has often swayed towards the Congress-led UDF, hoping to replace the BJP at the Centre. The strong minority vote base is what helped the UDF win the seat as the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) is its major partner. The rubber farmers in areas like Irikkur and Peravoor, predominantly Christians, have also been a strong vote bank for the Congress. Hoping to retain the seat this time as well, the Congress has fielded Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee chief K Sudhakaran here. Considering his candidature in the seat, Sudhakaran had recently ...

Tajinder Singh Bittu calls on Nadda after ditching Congress for BJP

Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw welcomed Bittu in the BJP fold saying that the work done under the leadership of PM Modi was more than what the Congress achieved in the 60 years

PM talks about 'Make in India' but wants Chinese goods in country: Rahul

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday claimed that although Prime Minister Narendra Modi talks about 'Make in India', he has "destroyed" MSMEs through demonetisation and GST as he wants Chinese goods to be sold in the country and billionaires profit from it. He also the BJP government has created "two types of martyrs" and asserted that if voted to power, the Congress will scrap the Agniveer scheme. At an election meeting here also attended by Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, the former Congress chief alleged that PM Modi worked with full vigour for 15-20 billionaires in the past 10 years. By diverting people's attention, the "entire wealth of India was handed over to these people. Narendra Modi ji has waived loans worth Rs 16 lakh crore of the billionaires", he claimed. "They have waived the loans of 10-15 people. Narendra Modi ji has given lakhs of crores to the billionaires. Today, the situation is such that 22 people possess wealth equal to that of 70 crore Indians... T

Kunwar Sarvesh Kumar, BJP candidate from UP's Moradabad, dies at 72

BJP candidate from Moradabad Lok Sabha seat Kunwar Sarvesh Kumar, who was unwell for some time, died at Delhi's AIIMS hospital on Saturday, a senior party leader said. He was 72. "Kunwar Sarvesh Kumar has passed away," UP BJP chief Bhupendra Chaudhary told PTI. "He had some problem in his throat and had an operation. Yesterday, he had gone to AIIMS for a check-up," Chaudhary. Voting in Moradabad constituency in Uttar Pradesh took place in the first phase on Friday.

LS polls: Undercurrent in favour of INDIA gaining strength, says Congress

A day after polling for the first phase of the Lok Sabha polls, the Congress on Saturday claimed that the INDIA bloc is far ahead of the BJP and an undercurrent in favour of the coalition is gaining strength. Polling in the first phase of the seven-phase Lok Sabha elections covering 102 seats across 21 states and Union territories took place on Friday. In a post on X, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said, "BJP's Graph: South Mein Saaf, North Mein Half! Here's what we know after the first phase of voting: In the first phase, voting was held on 102 seats in 21 states. Ground reports clearly show the INDIA coalition far ahead of BJP." "We have swept Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra, and performed strongly in Bihar, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh," he claimed. Ramesh further said that the BJP's performance in key states has been "remarkably poor". "The BJP leadership is in panic due to these trends - the PM's tweet is an indication of the desperation in their camp," he claimed. Ram

Highlights of the day: Delhi records maximum temperature of 37.2 degrees Celsius

From the events of the ongoing general elections to EV-maker Tesla's dwindling market-cap, catch all the latest news from around the world here. Stay tuned

433 candidates file nominations for 26 Lok Sabha seats of Gujarat

A total of 433 candidates have filed their nomination papers for Gujarat's 26 Lok Sabha seats, which will go to polls on May 7. Apart from this, 37 candidates filed their nomination forms for the by-elections to five assembly seats which will also be held on May 7, Joint Chief Electoral Officer AB Patel said in a statement on Saturday. Earlier, the state information office had said provisionally 491 candidates filed their nomination papers for Lok Sabha and 39 for assembly seats. "As on April 19, a total of 433 candidates filed their nomination papers for the Lok Sabha elections and 37 candidates for the assembly by-elections. Highest number of 38 candidates filed nominations from Gandhinagar Lok Sabha seat, and the lowest number of five candidates from Bardoli," Patel said. Union Home Minister Amit Shah is contesting from Gandhinagar. For bypolls, 10 candidates filed nomination forms for Bijapur, which is the highest, while the lowest number of nomination forms filed was six ...

LS polls: Over 200,000 complaints of election violation received in Kerala

: With Lok Sabha polls just six days away, a total of 2,09,661 complaints regarding violation of model code of conduct have been received in Kerala, of which action was taken in 2,06,152, Chief Electoral Officer Sanjay Kaul said here on Saturday. The complaints were received through the cVIGIL mobile app set up by the Election Commission. The complaints were received from March 16 to April 20 and 426 are currently being processed, Kaul said in a statement. Majority of the complaints received through the cVIGIL were related to unauthorised posters, banners, boards, wall writings, posters without mandatory information, property vandalism, unauthorized monetary transactions, use of vehicles without permission, distribution of alcohol, gifting, weapon display, and hate speeches. Of the total complaints received, 3,083 were dismissed as baseless, the statement said. The Chief Election Officer said that the public can send complaints about violations through the cVIGIL (Citizens Vigil)